Experience Pays Off for NAL Jumper Final Winners

Ingram Family Celebrates in Grand Fashion

Thursday’s competition brought jumpers to The Show Place Arena in the North American League Jumper Finals presented by Frog Pond Stables. It was equine experience that paid off for victory as Taylor Kungle and 20-year-old Quickly Stated were fastest for victory in the $10,000 NAL 1.15m Amateur Jumper Final sponsored by HorseFlight, while Kinsley Nolte and 17-year-old Diablo Z won the $10,000 NAL 1.15m Junior Jumper Final sponsored by HorseFlight. The Ingrams brought home two Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Championships, with Martha Ingram and Cheers! in the 3’3” division and John Ingram on Dicoblue PS winning the 3’6” height.

Kungle Returns for Victory

After a second-place finish in the $10,000 NAL 1.15m Amateur Jumper Final in 2025, Taylor Kungle of Wellington, FL, and Quickly Stated, owned by Breakwater Farm LLC, returned to take the first-place ribbon. They were the fastest of two double-clear rounds in a jump-off of four riders. Twenty-two entries competed in the class over a course set by the design team of Ken Krome, Meghan Rawlins, and Joe Carnicom.

Kungle was presented with the Best 1.10m/1.15m Amateur Jumper Rider Award sponsored by MeadowGrove, Inc. and received The Belfield Trophy donated by Julie Karpan as well as The Black Friday Memorial Perpetual Trophy donated by Alyson and Therese Gurney.

Kayla Mahmood and Laconda, owned by Brenna Doherty, finished second in 35.214 seconds, while Reilly Canard and Bull Run’s Relentless, owned by Tittle Sport Horses, were third with the fastest time of 33.362 seconds but four faults. Sophia Masnikoff and Eclipse MB Z, owned by Out Of The Park Sport Horses LLC, rounded out the top four with eight faults in 38.646 seconds.

Reflecting on her jump-off ride, Kungle thought it was her mare’s speed across the ground that led to her fast time. Landing from the final jump was “just euphoric,” she said. “It was so fun, and I feel like ‘Tutu’ was excited as well. We were just zooming around, and she didn't want to stop. It was an incredible feeling.”

Tutu is one of 12 horses that Kungle cares for her at her home barn and has been a part of the family for three years.
“She's my best friend,” expressed Kungle. “She lives in my backyard, and I see her every day. I feed her breakfast and dinner and do night check every day. She's always there for me. She tried her heart out tonight, and it means the world to me.”

Quickly Stated had two foals before she began her jumping career in Belgium. After coming to the U.S., she competed to the 1.35m level with Hallie Grimes. At 20 years old, the BWP mare by Toulon x Romeo brings plenty of experience to the show ring.

“I got her a little later in her career, and it's been such a blessing,” said Kungle. “It's been so fun to have an old horse that knows what she's doing. I'm so thankful for Hallie, Team Back Country, and Josh for helping me and making this happen. Every time I go in the show ring with her, it's really emotional. I'm always very grateful to get to show her.”

Diablo Z Brings Nolte to Winner’s Circle

Diablo Z is no stranger to winning at Capital Challenge, having taken the top spot in last year’s NAL 1.35m Junior/Amateur Jumper Final with Loretta-Jean Devening. In 2026, he returned with new rider Kinsley Nolte of Downingtown, PA, to lead the $10,000 NAL 1.15m Junior Jumper Final sponsored by HorseFlight. Nolte was also named Best 1.10m/1.15m Junior Jumper Rider Award sponsored by Memorial Park Hunters.

Nolte and Diablo Z were one of nine to clear the first-round course out of 30 entries. They returned third in the jump-off order and set an unbeatable time of 30.590 seconds with zero faults. Isabelle Castellanos and ESI Lucius, owned by Castellrock LLC, finished second in 32.350 seconds, while Samantha Teller and Calcite des Baillons, owned by McLain Ward, were just behind in third with a time of 32.367 seconds.

Nolte has been riding Diablo Z since June 2026, and they were able to build a partnership quickly in order to qualify for the NAL final. “He’s been the most amazing horse ever,” she said of the 17-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Diarado. “He's so game for anything, and he loves his job so much. I've never met a horse that loves to do their job as much as he does.”
As Nolte and her trainer Troy Hendricks prepared for the jump-off, they planned a tight inside turn after the first jump, but Nolte was unsure until she landed from the jump.

“I was not feeling super confident about it, but I just landed was like, ‘Okay, here we go!’ He turned inside and was super quick,” she recalled. “I had watched the first one go, and they were so fast. I was like, ‘Wow, I don't know if I can top this,’ and then I went and had it by two seconds. He's just so incredibly fast.”

This was Nolte’s third time competing at Capital Challenge, but her first in the jumpers.

“Getting into the jumper ring has been super exciting, and it's nice to try something different and have that freedom to go in and have fun,” she remarked. “It's been super awesome to have this opportunity with him.

“Winning this class means a lot to me,” she continued. “Just being able to qualify for these finals in such a short amount of time with him has been so incredible, and I'm so thankful.”

Martha Ingram Adds to Grand Total

For the fourth time and on a fourth horse, Martha Ingram of Nashville, TN, won the Grand Amateur-Owner 3’3” Championship. This year, it came aboard Cheers!, a relatively new ride for Ingram.

The pair was first, first, and second over fences and fourth under saddle in the Amateur-Owner 3’3” 18-35 Hunter division, sponsored by Pine Hollow Farm, which also gave them the Grand Amateur-Owner 3’3” Hunter Championship, which is sponsored by Virginia Fout. They were presented with the Missy McCutcheon Memorial Trophy donated by Susie Baker, Dr. Michele Hollis, and John Yozell, and Ingram won the Best Amateur-Owner 3’3” Rider Award, sponsored by The Zuraitis Family. Ingram swept the division by finishing as reserve champion with Romeo.

Ingram purchased Cheers! before the start of the winter show season in 2026, and they clicked right away. “I think it's a testament to the kind of animal that he is,” said Ingram of the 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Casall owned by John & Stephanie Ingram LLC. “He's such a joy to ride. He's really easy to find the jumps on, he's super brave, and he just absolutely walks down the lines. He has a huge stride, especially for him being a relatively little horse. You really do feel like you're flying on him.”

Although Ingram has been honored many times before at Capital Challenge, it’s still “a joy to win.” She continued, “It’s really difficult at a horse show like this where you have 30 of the best horses. On a new partner, it brings new memories and its own set of challenges that you have to overcome, which makes it even more special.”

John Ingram Tops 3’6” Division

Martha’s father, John, added to the Ingram family’s achievements after he and Dicoblue PS were named grand champions. Ingram and Dicoblue PS were first and third over fences and won the under saddle to win the Amateur-Owner 3’6” 36 & Over Hunter division, sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Oare and he was reserve champion as well on Odette.

Dicoblue PS was named the Grand Amateur-Owner 3’6” Champion, sponsored by Finally Farm, and the pair received the Dr. Harold M.S. Smith Trophy donated by Dr. Suzanne Smith and Dr. Peter Craig. Ingram was presented with the Best Amateur-Owner 3’6” Rider Award sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest M. Oare and awarded The So Many Ways Challenge Trophy donated by Karen Kramer.

Dicoblue PS, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Diarado’s Boy, rested after competing at Traverse City Horse Shows this summer, but Ingram felt he was in good form coming into Capital Challenge.

“It’s a tough division with so many really good horses and great riders,” he conceded. “There are just small differences between the top and the middle and the bottom, so you really have to be on it. We had a couple of rubs yesterday, and that's one of those small things that can make a big difference. Today I took that extra split second to give him a chance to jump a clean jump and not be pressing if I'm a little anxious.”

Ingram said that when he needs a refresher on piloting “Dico,” he watches videos of Tori Colvin on the horse. He explained, “I just need to watch Tori and then do what she does – or try to do that. She makes it look easy, but we all know it's not so easy.”

Ingram added, “I have to say kudos to my daughter, Martha. I think she rode the best I've ever seen her ride the last couple of days. She works at it, and she cares about it. We both love our horses, and we're for them as much as we're for ourselves.”

The Marshall + Sterling Best Amateur-Owner 3’6” Trip of the Show went to Sophie Gochman and Daydream, who scored 89.5.

The Marshall + Sterling Best Amateur-Owner 3’3” Trip of the Show was awarded to Yesterday, ridden by Margot Peroni to 89.75.

Victory in the $2,500 WCHR Amateur-Owner 3’3” Challenge sponsored by Milestone, LLC/Havens Schatt went to Martha Ingram and Romeo. Irene Neuwirth and Daffodil won the $5,000 WCHR Amateur-Owner 3’6” Challenge sponsored by Robinson Ridge. Brianne Goutal was the winner of the In Disguise WCHR Trainer Award sponsored by Jim and Ellen Toon of JT Farm. The Grey Slipper Award was presented to Private Practice and the Ingram Family.

Additional champions included:

Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” 36 & Over
Sponsored by MKG Equestrian

Champion: Riverland Z, ridden by Katie Robinson, owned by Robinson Ridge LLC
Reserve: Endgame, ridden and owned by Cece Williamson

Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’6” 18-35
Sponsored by The Hallman Family and MerryLegs South LLC

Champion: Colter, ridden and owned by Sophie Gochman
Reserve: Daydream, ridden by Sophie Gochman, owned by Gochman Sport Horse LLC

The 2026 CCHS continues on Friday, October 2, with the Ariat National Adult Medal Finals, the presentation for the Grand Adult Hunter Champion, as well as the $30,000 WCHR Professional Finals, presented by World Wide Technology, and the start of the junior and pony hunters.